I will be hosting an Adventure Canoe ACA Canoeing instructor training session. We’ll cover the Instructor Development Workshop and the Instructor Certification Exam. At the end, after meeting all of the requirements and passing the certification exam, you will be ACA certified. Once you have completed the ICE, you must register with the Safety Education & Instruction Council (SEIC) in order to receive your certification. Your Certification is not valid without both a current membership and current registration with the SEIC.
The following explains the ACA certification that you will complete with this course:
ACA Instructors teach paddling skills in approved ACA course outlines after qualifying in various disciplines and at various levels. ACA Instructors are expected to represent and promote the ACA and paddlesports in a positive manner. ACA Instructors do not issue certificates or certify basic skills, but may issue participation cards to students.
General Requirements for ACA Instructor Certification:
- Instructors shall be at least 18 years of age
- Maintain ACA Membership and SEIC dues
Instructor Certification Process:
To become an ACA Instructor, Instructor Candidates must:
- Participate in an Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and pass an Instructor Certification Exam (ICE). These courses are offered either as separate courses with time between for skills and presentation development and practice, or can be offered concurrently (at the discretion of the Instructor Trainer) as an Instructor Certification Workshop (ICW).
- Perform paddling skills with demonstration quality
- Demonstrate effective teaching skills
- Demonstrate technical knowledge of paddlesport
- Demonstrate appropriate safety & rescue ability
- Demonstrate group / course management and interpersonal skills
Note: IDW/ICE participation does not guarantee certification. An ICE candidate may certify, be continued as a Candidate, or fail the Workshop. If the candidate is not certified, the deficiencies must be documented to the Candidate and the ACA National Office in writing.
Instructors are strongly urged to obtain and maintain current First Aid / CPR or Wilderness First Aid certification.
Instructor Criteria:
The following are approved Instructor Criteria for all ACA Disciplines and Levels:
Canoeing (River Canoeing)
The cost of the course is $300.00. We will have three vigorous days on the Spring River just south of Mammoth Springs, Arkansas. “The Spring River begins as the Warm Fork of the Spring River north of Thayer, Missouri. Mammoth Spring, one of the largest springs in the state of Arkansas, adds tremendously to the volume of the water in the river… The Spring River has distinctive characteristics not found on the other Ozark Rivers. Long pools are broken by waterfalls that range 1-5 feet in height. The paddler must pick the correct slot to successfully negotiate the drop, or prepare to drag or overturn. Along the run gently sloping banks alternately border hardwood forests and farmland.”2 The section of the Spring River near the Spring River Oaks campsite offers an interesting array of learning and teaching sites. We will shuttle our boats back to camp after each paddling session.
You will need to have quite a bit of prior paddling experience, access to a canoe and good leadership abilities. This is not an introductory canoeing course. It is only open to experienced paddlers who want to become certified to teach canoeing classes.
Instructors must pay both membership dues ($40) to the ACA and registration fees to the SEI Committee ($25) annually. ACA Instructor Certifications are valid through December 31st of the fourth year after passing the Instructor Certification Exam as long as the Instructor maintains current membership and SEIC registration. For example, if you became a certified Instructor during any month in year 2009, your certification is valid until December 31st, 2013. This is dependent on keeping both your ACA Membership and registration with the Safety Education & Instruction Committee current.
Please contact me or or fill out this form to register for the class. If you are interested in group meals please let me know and I will put these together for a small fee.
Please feel free to download this flier and post it at your shop or outfitter to let others know about the course.
1 American Canoe Association, How to Become an ACA Instructor, www.americancanoe.org
2 Tom Kennon, Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks (Birmingham, Menasha Ridge Press), 33.
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I went to Ozark Outdoors and picked up three more people for the course this weekend.
Please leave a comment here or use the registration form if you’re interested in attending. I will send you more information via email.
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